Chapter Six: Salvation

The Beast is angry with Zack authority vow revenge.

Zackary parked the blue sedan, relived that he made it to church safely during the drenching rain.  He thought about staying home this dreary Saturday evening.  But he would miss Joann preaching, no he can’t do that.  Waiting for the rain to slack a little so he can make his dash inside.  He cracks open the door rain pellets pelting is arm.

 

He decides to make a run for it because the downpour looks like it will last all night.  Leaping from his car slamming the door shut.  Splash!  Splash!  Sprinting across the parking lot up the sidewalk and a few steps, bursting through the main doors.  Suddenly the heavy downpour outside became a gentle drizzle.

 

Standing inside the lobby water dripping on the floor, creating a puddle.  Viewing ahead the expanded walkway toward the sanctuary hearing the youth choir performing.  He is pleased to hear the strong feminine singing voice of Jennifer leading the praised.  Shaking his clothing and rubbing his hair in an effort to dry himself entering into the vast auditorium.  He pauses gazing at Jennifer on stage her head held high singing to the Lord.

 

He marvels how this beautiful, accomplish and sexy full figured girl became his friend.  She always dresses in the latest fashion and her hair is always stunning and cute.  He has always seen her in classes confident and in control.  He wouldn’t dare speak to her, his nerves wouldn’t allow it and it would break the unwritten code of popular kids never interacting with the misfits. 

 

Zackary is learning that life will throw a crazy curve ball.  Vivian gave back the diamond bracelet, his prize for winning second place in the school drawing contest.  The breakup was abrupt, viewing her running away crushed him.  Dropping to his knees crying uncontrollably pleading with God to take him completely away from this enormous emotional pain.

 

Darkness was flooding his mind, then he saw in the midst of tears a pair of shiny black girl’s shoes.  Slowly he tilt his head up his eyes following up a pair of attractively shaped legs.  Dressed in a mini-plaid skirt, Jennifer soft brown eyes looking down very concern. 

 

She befriended him giving him a bit of her apple making him feel better and allow him to sit with her during lunch period as her companions stared with disgust.   She came over to his house to eating popcorn and watching movies with him.  He thought they were just hanging out like buddy, but his sister informs him it’s a date.  Zackary didn’t think it was a date because they were just watching movies, but he never went on a date before so he had no experience with that. 

 

He felt that evening overall went well. He felt uncomfortable when she started talking about her escapades going all the way with a boy.  Embarrass and not wanting her to know his total sexual experience in seventeen years of his life is one kiss with Vivian.  A kiss to this day he doesn’t truly know how it happens, but it was nice, very nice!

 

Zackary smiled, thinking about the bed romp incident, he is pinned to the bed while she on top of him giggling.  She wouldn’t let him up unless he agreed to draw a portrait of her completely nude.   Remembering how shock and overwhelmed by her seductive action trying to get what she wants.  He often wishes he reacted with a smoothness and charm like the leading men in the movies, but he was totally defenseless out of his league, then his mother came into the room.

 

They haven’t brought up that subject which he thinks it a good thing, but he does find it hard to understand that his mother likes Jennifer.  She would comment saying, “Why haven’t brought that girl over.” Or “You should date that nice Jennifer girl instead moaning over Ms. Thang that dumped you!” 

 

Jennifer finishing her song to the smaller than usual crowd, they are exuberant praising God loudly hands raised up.  “Praise Him!”  She would say pacing the stage, arms swing back and forward energize by the energy from the audience.  Zackary scans the front area trying to spot Joann, she loved participating in the worship service before giving the Word.

 

He didn’t see her, advancing toward the front thinking she might be sitting.  Shaking hands and giving hugs to members he seen in almost every service.  Reaching the front row seating he still didn’t see her, ‘How strange.’  Glancing up the steps of the platform his eyes caught Jennifer staring at him grinning, then she beckons for him to come closer.

 

“Hey Zack, Reverend Joann is not here yet, I guess the awful weather is delaying her.”  He agreed, nodding his head, suddenly she pushes the microphone into his chest, “Say!  Be a sweetie say a few words while the band and I take a quick break?”  Zackary mouth pop open shaking his head no.

 

Jennifer touches his forearm, he shakes his head frantically no.  He did not want to speak in front of 200 hundred people.  He like Jennifer but not enough to do that, then she moves in closer.  “Please!”  Her voice is smooth and sultry. 

 

“I don’t know what to say, I’m not ready.”  His voice trembling, but he looked in her soft brown eyes, quickly he knew that was a mistake.

 

“Zack, you know, talk about the Lord like you do around the lunch table.”

 

He didn’t realize Jennifer was listening to the things he said during lunch, he would get strange looks from the others at the table including her.  “Please, for me.” Batting her eyes, observing her pleads feeling the pressure to relent.  But he made up his mind, he will not speak, no matter how much she begs.

 

“Sure,” he rolled his eyes, shaking his head taken hold of the microphone, she burst into a huge smile quickly kissing him on the cheek.

 

“Thank you, thank you!” swiftly leaving the staging are, giving a signal with a wave of her fingers for the rest of the band members to scramble.  They immediately put down their instruments sprinting off the stage, while Zackary stepping up slowly to the podium.  Wishing kept saying no, but Jennifer with her damsel in distress brown eyes melted away his resistant.

 

The audience below are calming down from their robust praising and worshiping, “Praised the Lord.” Zackary high pitch voice fill the auditorium, some in the audiences responded cheering “Praised Him!”

 

Standing behind the stand gripping the microphone with both hands, gazing over the people, “Jennifer and the rest of the band are taking a quick break, so they wanted me to say a few words.”  His voice is timid and cracking due to his nerves.  “I’m sorry I’m a little nervous,” in his mind that is a major understatement.  His natural heart thumping loudly in his chest, wishing he was somewhere else but there.

 

Looking outward not knowing how or what to talk about, hoping by a miracle Joann would appear to save the evening.  The silence has lasted forever and the fear everyone will see he not ready to speak.  His imagination is creating scenarios of the audience laughing him off the platform greatly ashamed and embarrass.  He knows he read in the bible that the Holy Spirit would give the words to say when you need to speak.  But he not feeling anything, his mind is blank except a pressing sense of terror.

 

Paula, the woman in white, touching his shoulder smiling tenderly.  “Oh Zackary speaks from your heart, just start talking He will do the rest.”  Whispering in his ear.

 

“I want to talk about our God, my heavenly Father from my own perspective.  I want to speak about his love for us.  Knowing I’m young in the Faith trying to explain His love but well here goes.

 

God loves you, I know saying that everyone here agrees and know what that mean.  I thought that too, but we don’t know the half of it.  Can I tell you something about me, I loved someone and it’s a girl.”  He sheepishly laughs.  “She not here, but away at college so I can speak without getting nervous, ok I’m still nervous.  It funny when you loved someone everything about them you find attractive.  You are concerned about their welfare, just want to make them happy.

 

My friend is beautiful, but however she believed she was ugly.  She accepted the negative words from other people and has a bad self-esteem.  God loves everything about you, I guess he should He did make you like himself.  I bet the things you dislike about yourself God find it appealing, something to think about.

 

He loved Adam and Eve, so much that he placed them in a wonderful garden that was perfect.  They had all the food and water they would ever need.  The climate was just right and they had all types of animals to play with.  Then at the cool of the day He would visit them.  Then his children rejected him by disobeying his words.  He warned his precious ones if they sin the penalty is death.

 

My girl that I loved rejected me too, and I felt I was going to die, a strange grief overtook me.  I couldn’t move or think righ, I just wanted to cry.  I don’t think God I did that, but I do not think it didn’t please him when He have to push out his beloved children out of the garden.  He had a plan to bring them back to him (soft organ music is playing), it would take time but He was patient. 

 

His loved for his us is perfect, He came down from Heaven in the form of Jesus.  He became poor so we can be rich.  The reason is to take on our sin and penalty, so we can have everlasting life with him right now.  Jesus loved me and you so much by taking great physical pain, nailed to the cross.

 

By shedding his blood He accepted all of the sins of every person from Adam to the end of time.  A man who never sin, innocent became sin and the Father in Heaven turn his back on him.  He loved us so much that he punish his son so we may live.  Jesus accepted the judgment the guilt that was for me and you.  He gave up his life went to hell for three days to finally completed the law.

 

You know what happens, he rose on the third day full of glory and power.  Now we can have the Holy Ghost to live inside of us when we are born again.  Love!  He did all that because he loved me and you.  We don’t deserve it, but his loved covers all.”  Zackary speaking not looking at the people his eyes staring into the bright light.  “Oh saint!  It’s so awesome that we have a God that loved like that.  Oh Lord Pour out your loved, our heart is open.”  He pause, he knew he had nothing else to say hearing the music and Jennifer voice humanizing.  His eyes fell on the audience, expecting to see bored and uninterested faces.

 

Startle he took a step back a chill cover his body observing a crowd of people at the altar.  Some with arms raised eyes closed praising God.  Zackary doesn’t know what to say seeing so many from the audience pressing forward at the altar.  Suddenly he turned his head to the right spotting his salvation, Joann smiles looking very proud.  Quickly running over to her greatly relieved.

 

“I’m so glad you made it, how long have you been here?”

 

“Oh, I arrive at the start of your speech when you said I loved someone.”

 

Zackary is perplexing, “Why didn’t you come up and take over?”

 

“I wanted to hear what you had to say, it was beautiful…”

 

“No it wasn’t!  I was scared to death am still terrified!  I didn’t know what to say, I’m babbling up there!”

 

“Well that babble was wonderful and the Holy Spirit was in it,” they both face the crowd of people at front of the altar.  Zackary pushes the microphone forward to Joann.

 

“I don’t know why they are up there, but they are all yours.”  He nervously grins.

 

Joann place her hand on his forearm, “These people were moved by what you said, Man of God.”

 

“Oh no, no, no!” He shook, “I’m not like you or the pastor.  I’m too young and I haven’t been trained, I am too immature to be a so called man of God or anything else like that.”

 

“Zack, this evening you were a vessel used by the Holy Ghost for his purpose.  Tonight you are the one God had planned to use to save his people.”  Joann took hold of his hand, “let’s go, and say a prayer over the people welcoming our new brothers and sisters!”  Zackary is feeling confident and calm agreed with Joann they walk back to the podium joining in the praised of the people up front.

 

The music is playing softly Joann with Zackary is speaking thanking the youth praised team for continuing the service during her delay.  Far back of the wall of the sanctuary huge shadows hangs caused by spot lights aim toward the staging area.  Sounds of screams and shrieks are emanating inside the darkest part of the shadows.  Hundreds of none human voices crying out all at once in utter pain and despair. 

 

“It’s so cold!  I’m so weak!  No please, not the pit!”  Howled the trapped voices in the darkness.  Suddenly an evil darker presence burst from the sky into the shadows of church.  He moved like a prowling panther, his eyes scanning looking for the weak and the unprotected.  He pauses at the hundreds of demons huddle together in darkness crying.

 

“SHUT UP!”  He ordered, the wicked beings obeying their master quieting their constant moaning.  “What has happened here?  How did you get detached from your hosts?”

 

“That man,” the many voices whispering and shirking together as one, “his words filled with power ripping and cutting we couldn’t hold on to our host.  The pain was unbearable so we fled into the shadows.”

 

“What man is this?”  Immediately hundreds of deformed shivering fingers pointed toward the platform.  The evil one turned to see Joann, “I know the woman, I hate her!”  Then his eyes fell on Zackary, he smirk, “Well it’s the little retard warrior.”  His focus is intense staring at Zackary praying with Joann over the people. The evil one slowly gliding forward.  “So you are the man that orchestrate this defeat of my demons.  Now you think you’re some kind of man of God with your pitiful display of skills.”  He speaks angrily his hand clenching wanting to strike.  

 

“But, this boy I see is very desirable pleasing to behold,” he stop his advancement to wiping drool from his mouth.  “First I must taste of you, I know you are too young to resist me and I will have my way with you.  Yes!  We will join and I will pleased myself through you, then when I finish I totally destroy you.”  A sinter smile formed on his face as he lusting after Zackary.

 

“Hello, Beast!”

 

The evil creature quickly turned to see the woman in white standing.  “Paula the guardian, it seem where the young retard is you are not far behind.”

 

“Yes I’m always with him, never to forsake him.  You cannot touch him, if you didn’t know he has a hedge around him.”

 

The Beast raised his hand to touch the barrier with his fingers, “Yes, let’s make a deal.  Give me the boy.  I promise not to violate him too long and kill him swiftly for exchange I will release my claim on the girl.”

 

“No Deal.”

 

“You foolish angel, you know the woman child is worth more than that little retard, but no matter I have assignes my champion on to him.”  The Beast speaks angrily.  “Soon your precious baby will reject you, then I will have him and through him I will have Vivian too.

 

“Leave this place, Beast!  You have stayed too long.”  The Beast snarled, but he nodded his head in agreement that he has to leave.  Then he started chuckling a devilish belly laugh.  “Oh yeah, take your demon trash on your way out,” Paula smirk.

 

The Beast and his demon hoard vanish back into the darkened sky. “POP!”  The loud drum line startle Paula she turned quickly see the band playing an upbeat praised music.  She watches Joann and Zackary greeting the new converts saying encouraging words.   Paula smiled, moving among the people, she touches the lips of a blond woman praising God quietly.  She opens her mouth screaming in tongues not caring who hear her.  Paula is pleased then saw an older man stone face unemotional but loving God.  She blew into his face grateful tears flow down his cheeks.

 

Paula is enjoying touching the mass of people receptive to a blessing touch.  Her eyes are constantly of Zackary, her joy is hampered knowing her baby will be extremely tested by the Beast.

 

“Oh Zackary, I pray that your Faith stays strong and fail not.”